Knoxville
by DevilsWriter
Summary: Is money really the only thing that can keep you happy? Does love have any meaning at all? Or is it just some bullshit someone once made up? What do you need to grow to love someone? Money? Their trust? Their story?...their heart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

It was decided when she was eight, only a year after her father had died, a heart attack all the sudden. It didn't even go a year before Isabella's mother married again, to a hideous man that hated children and the thought of being a father to an eight year old, well, let's just say it didn't sit well with him.

Charles Swan married Renée in 1986 and already in 1987, September 13, they became parents to a small girl named Isabella Marie and their life couldn't seem to become any better than that. Only a few years into his marriage with Renée, Charles, or Charlie, learned that there was one thing Renée would always love more than her husband and daughter; money. Suddenly, it became more important to have expensive clothes, pillows and curtains with the price of 300 dollars, each.

Expensive trips to Paris, Milan, Barcelona and so on became more important than to celebrate their little girl's first birthday, second, third, fourth and so on. Isabella's, or Bella's, birthday were always spent with homemade pizza and a movie, birthday girls wish. It became a tradition between Bella and her father from the very beginning, when she was too small to eat anything but milk and some very disgusting baby food.

They spent every holiday together, even Valentine's Day and they had a tradition for every holiday. Halloween, Charlie would dress Bella up as a mouse, dog, cat and one year, he dressed them both up as dragons. Every Valentine, since Renée would be off somewhere with her friends, as she called her new flame, Charlie ordered a heart shaped cake from the local bakery. It was always a chocolate cake with raspberry cream and when Charlie died, Bella stopped eating chocolate cake and anything with raspberry. There were only three times she had tried to eat anything close to chocolate cake with raspberry cream; Valentine's Day 1997, 2000 and 2004. She had bought a cupcake and brought it with her to Charlie's grave the first time she did it. One bite and she threw up just next to her father's grave. The second time, she brought a cupcake with her, with a small candle, and placed it on his grave and she watched the small candle burn down. The third time, she managed to take a bite of her cupcake, without throwing up.

Bella missed her father terribly, more than she could handle sometimes but she had learned a long time ago that neither Phil nor her mother would notice if her eyes were red shot and red rimmed. And besides, they lived in a big house and Renée and Phil had their bedroom on the first floor, leaving Bella the second floor almost all to herself, at least some days.

Phil loved to have his friends over and when he first moved into the house Charlie had bought and renovated, she hated it. When she learned that her mother loved him, before she knew better, Bella decided that she could live with it,

Then the bomb hit her like an A-bomb over Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

All the men that came and went almost as if they owned the place, they were meant for her. Since she was so young when her father died, Bella didn't get any details about Charlie's will. But apparently, Charlie had left her three million dollars, everything he had had, even the house. Renée didn't get anything and because of that, she pushed Bella even further away, letting her be a parent for herself.

And there were 30 acres of land somewhere in Washington, most of it forest, land that was Bella's. But Phil and Renée were sly, very sly, and they wanted it, at least what it was worth. They couldn't take the land and sell it just to take the six million it was worth but it didn't mean they could get something out of it. With Phil's lawyer, a new plan was drawn up, one that would give them at least a million dollars. All they had to do was to sell the land to a young man with a promise of a dutiful wife. That's right; they were going to sell Bella.

All the men that came and went as Bella grew up were there to see if they could live with her and have her as a wife. As soon as Bella learned it, she became nasty and soon, the house was empty. Renée found new people to be with, meaning a new lover every day, and Phil brought a new girl into the house. More than once, at the age of thirteen, Bella walked in on Phil with a new blond girl, having sex in the down stairs living room or in one of the many guest bedrooms.

Bella sometimes got the vibe that Phil wanted to have sex with her as well as her body started to fill out, her breast growing and her hips showing, but he didn't try anything before she turned eighteen; she kicked his ass and broke a tooth. Since she had felt the vibe, she had started taking self-defense classes, then karate and mixed material arts, all of it without Phil and Renée noticing. Phil never tried anything again and because Bella could defend herself, no one was interested in her.

She never got out of the house. She wanted to move but she couldn't, they wouldn't let her. Instead, Bella was forced to learn how to cook, sow and just how to be the perfect little wife, without no voice. But Bella had a voice and she used it every time she was showed off as an animal to complete strangers. Every time, she was told to dress nicely and be at her best behavior but just to piss Phil off, she was late, dressed in old clothes and dirty. She swore, talked only about herself and simply disgusted those who came to see her.

Bella thought, when she turned twenty-one, six years after she was shown off for the first time, that maybe, just maybe, it was over. The last man, who had come to check her out, had come during her small birthday party when she turned twenty-three, a whole year before.

But it was far from over, it barely was the beginning.

It was early spring and Bella was using her day in the garden with the gardener, digging, getting dirty and enjoying the pale sun high on the sky, when Greta, the chef Phil had insisted they needed, came out on the terrace, calling for her.

"Miss. Bella," Greta called out with a shrill voice. She didn't need to say more; Bella knew what was coming whenever Greta's voice became shrill.

"Coming Greta!" Bella called back, getting up from the ground, drying her hands on her jeans as she walked up on the terrace and to the French doors of Phil's office. She could see Phil sitting by his desk, talking animated with a man with strange colored hair. Without knocking, she slowly opened the door and stepped in, not caring much about the dirt on the boots; it was Phil's office.

"Ah, Bella, finally," Phil almost sneered at her but she didn't care; she just wanted to know who the next old, creepy man was. "This is Mr. Cullen, one of our interests."

Mr. Cullen rose from his seat and turned to Bella; he was handsome, very, but he was also older than her, more than five years but he also seemed to be younger than fifteen, which most of the men she had been showed off too had been.

"Mr. Cullen, this is my step daughter, Isabella," Phil informed Mr. Cullen, gesturing with an offhand motion toward Bella.

Mr. Cullen held out his hand with a bored expression and Bella stepped closer, leaving a fine trail of dirt on Phil's hardwood floor, stretching out her hand to shake his when she remembered that her hands were still covered in dirt.

"I think I should wash my hands first," she explained, taking back her hand.

"Well, I'm going to let you too talk alone for a little while," Phil explained, ricing from his chair, giving Bella a pointed look she knew all too well. It meant one thing: _If you mess this up, I will make you pay._ Pay meant that he might force himself upon her, again and it also meant that she would kick his ass, again.

As Phil left the room, Bella went to his adjoined bathroom, leaving the door open as she washed her hands, scrubbing them good till they were red before she pulled out a small flask of antibacterial gel and squirted some into her hand, rubbing it in thoroughly.

Mr. Cullen was standing by the French doors when she came out and he didn't acknowledge her presence before she cleared her throat. Still, he didn't turn around to look at her.

"I'm just wondering," he started, tipping his head back slightly so his chin were higher in the air. "-how desperate you must be to have your step-father sell 300 acres of land your father gave you and force whoever buys the land to marry you. Are you really that desperate?" he turned to look at her and Bella couldn't help but stare at him; he was beautiful, very handsome.

"I-"she cleared her throat, suddenly losing her voice. "I'm not desperate," Bella defended herself. "I don't have a need to get married but if that's the only way I'll get away from here, I'm willing to do it."

"Why don't you just let your mother and Phil have the land, Bella? They seem more than willing to take over the land."

"I'm never going to let go off the land; it belonged to my father and he gave it to me. My mom, nor my step-father, will have the pleasure of selling the land my father worked hard for, just so they can get more of what they think they need to be happy; money."

"Money can give a lot that will make you happy," Mr. Cullen pointed out.

"But money is far from everything, Mr. Cullen. If you are sad, buying something will only make you happy for a little while and it becomes an evil circle that is hard to break."

"You make a fine point, Miss Swan, and I do believe I might have miss judged you as well, but there will be more room was talking some other day. I will see you later, Bella." Bella sighed when he had left and looked up to see her reflection in one of the many mirrors her mother had insisted the house needed; she looked awful, her hair that had been in a neat ponytail earlier was sticking out, most of it not even in the tail anymore, and her face, no make-up but dirt on her forehead. How could she not have seen it earlier?

**~O~O~O**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

Bella had no idea what "later" meant for Mr. Cullen but from what she could tell, "later" meant more than a week, rather a month. A month went by before she heard from him and again, she looked far from her best.

Even though Bella was twenty-one, she was treated as kid sometimes and Phil had managed to convince Renée that they couldn't trust Bella to be home alone for too long. How he had managed it, Bella couldn't understand but Renée believed him.

It was in the beginning of April and Phil had been invited to Boston for a whole week, celebrating the opening of a new hotel with a casino one of his many, rich friends had built. Renée was going with him of course but only if Greta and her husband, Eric, their gardener, came in every day and made sure that Bella stayed out of trouble. Of course, they knew better than any one that Bella was more than perfectly fine to take care of herself.

She got a whole week to herself and she enjoyed it, shopping online for new books, trying out new recipes, baking, reading, watching TV and just enjoying the peace she rarely felt around the house.

It was the second night, a Wednesday, and Bella had just made a big bowl of popcorn, changed into her favorite pajama pants, lavender and white checkered pants, her favorite dark purple t-shirt and a black hoodie. Her hair was high on her head in a knot and her feet were covered in thick socks that were too big for her. She had just chosen a movie and made herself comfortable in one of the many oversized chairs her mother had bought for the home theater when the doorbell rang.

Outside, the rain was pouring and Bella couldn't understand that anyone wanted to go out in that kind of weather. Bella wasn't one of those who were easily scared but the house was big, filled with shadows when she was home alone and she couldn't help but picture a monster, a freak on their front porch, ready to attack her and kill her, eat her brain and wear her skin like it was some piece of clothing.

Thank God for peepholes.

On the other side of the double front doors stood no other than Mr. Cullen, his clothes perfectly dry, his hear just as messy as it had been when she first met him.

"Mr. Cullen?" Bella asked as she opened the doors, surprised that he was standing on her front porch.

"Good evening, Bella," he smiled. Smiled! It was the first time he had smiled at her. Last time, the first time, she had met him, he had had an boring expression on his face the whole time and Bella thought he was just like the other men that had come for her; disappointed that she was smart, her thoughts of her own and wasn't going to be bullied by some human of the opposite gender.

"Can I help you?"

"If I may, I wouldn't mind coming inside; the weather is terrible." Just on cue, the heaven opened even more, if it was even possible.

"Oh, I'm sorry, please do come in," Bella opened the door for him and stepped away so he could come inside.

"Thank you, Bella," he said as he looked around the hall, taking of his jacket and hanging it on the railings of the stairs and stepping out of his shoes, muddy as they were. "I hope I don't interrupted anything," he asked, cocking an eyebrow and Bella understood what he was asking: _anyone else here with you?_

"No, no you're not interrupting anything, Mr. Cullen. I was just about to watch a movie and have some popcorn, that's all."

"Bella, you can call me Edward if you want to," he flashed her yet another smile.

"Okay, Edward, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Oh, I just came to talk with Phil but judging from your attire, Phil and Renée isn't home. Am I right?"

"Yes, your right. They're in Boston for the week," Bella explained, feeling a little uncomfortable as she once again didn't look her best when he came to visit. From all the men she had met, Edward was the most handsome man of them all and if she didn't have a choice, she wanted him to be the one to buy the land because he didn't seem to mind that she had a mind on her own.

"That's unfortunate but this will give me some time to actually get to know you instead of just taking Phil upon his words."

"What do you want to know about me?"

"Well, for starters, what kind of movie were you about to watch?"

"Oh," Bella was prepared for more businesslike questions, questions that had some relevance with the fact that she might marry him. "I was about to watch _Much ado About Nothing_. Do you want to join me?" she was just being polite, hoping he would say no but of course, her wish wouldn't be granted, just like every other wish she ever had.

"Uhm," he checked his watch. "I would love to join you Bella." Like a gentleman, he offered Bella his arm and escorted her to the home theater. He knew where it was located in the house as it was the first room Phil had shown to him the first time he stepped a foot inside the house.

They shared the oversized chair Bella had positioned in front of the screen; it was big enough for them both. But as they watched the movie and ate popcorn together, Bella couldn't help but notice the man sitting next to her and it made her think about her first time. It had been horrible and therefore, also her last time, but sexual desire and self-sexual experiences was far from unknown to her. Her first time had been with a friend, one she didn't talked with now, but she wondered if it had been horrible because she was young, inexperienced, and so had he, Jacob, been. She wondered how Edward might be, she wondered if he was a gentle lover or one of those men from her books that liked to hold all the power during sexual encounters.

"Are you even watching?" Bella's head snapped to Edward.

"Sorry, guess I got lost in my own thoughts," Bella apologized and focused on the movie, getting back in the movie as Hero passed out after being falsely accused of being unfaithful to Claudio the night before their wedding.

It didn't take long before the only thing Bella could notice, was Edward again. He was sitting right next to her, their bodies against each other, her thigh resting against the thigh of the unbelievable handsome and strong looking man, and she couldn't help but think that he must have a very good stamina.

"If you don't mind, I think I'll pop some more popcorn," once again, Bella was snapped out of her own thoughts and all she could do was to nod dumbly.

As soon he was out of the room, Bella straightened her legs and she couldn't help but slide a hand between her legs and rub hard against her core through her pajama pants. She was in such need of release that she didn't hear Edward entering the room again.

"Do you need some help with that?" he whispered in her ear from behind her and she jumped in her seat.

Bella, blushing bright red, jumped from her seat to get away from him, embarrassed about she had just been caught doing.

"I would like it if you left," she cried out in embarrassment, covering her face with her hands.

"Nothing to be embarrassed about, Bella," Bella looked up at him and suddenly, he was right in front her. She gasped and pressed herself against the wall. "I would have done it myself if I had been in my own home right now but I'm not going to deny you the pleasure." He leaned closer to her and she closed her eyes just as she felt his lips on her neck.

"God," she moaned, her legs going weak and she thanked the Gods for the wall she was leaning against. Without it, she would have been a puddle at his feet.

"Let me make you feel good," he whispered in her ear as his left hand went between her legs and started to rub against her core.

"Yes, please," she moaned even louder, pushing him away and toward the chair they had shared but he spun her around so Bella was the one who ended up in the chair, underneath Edward.

He kissed her chin, her cheeks, her neck and her collarbone, but never her lips. She wanted to feel his lips against hers, to feel their softness, to feed of his passion as he slowly undressed her till she was almost naked in the chair before him. The room was filled with music from the movie but above all, it was filled with the sound of their panting. Bella's heart was hammering in her chest so hard it felt as if it would burst before anything had even happened.

"Have you ever been with a man, Bella?" Edward asked, pulling away just enough to look Bella into her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three**

"_Have you ever been with a man?"_

Bella blinked up at him, not sure if she had heard right.

"W-what?" she stuttered, struggling to sit up.

"I asked you if you have ever been with a man before, Bella."

"I… uhm, I… I-I think you should leave," she stuttered out, pushing Edward away so she could sit up.

"Bella," he started but didn't finish as Bella started to look for her sweater. She wanted to cover her body, shield herself from his sight with her clothes as he was almost fully dressed and all she was wearing was her panties. "Here," he reached over her where the sweater was hanging from the back of the chair.

"Thanks," she mumbled, pulling it over her head and over her bare breasts.

"Bella, I don't under-"

"I think it would be better if you just left Edward, at least for now," Bella said as she found her pajama pants and put them on.

"Bella," Edward pleaded, following her as she picked up the bowl of popcorn and brought it to the kitchen.

"Please," she pleaded back, not looking at him, not trusting herself with him anymore.

"Fine, I will go but I will also come back to talk, Bella, because we need to talk." She stood still, listening to him as he left, waiting till she heard the sound of the engine of his car before she went to lock the door and retired for the night.

The next day, waking up at dawn, Edward was still fresh on her mind, she could still feel his body against hers, her lips on her skin, but she wanted to push it as far as possible away and deal with it only when she had to. She wished she knew why she had panicked so suddenly.

Edward was on her mind the whole day and for the next days as well. He came every day to see if she was willing to talk with her, but she pretended that she wasn't home, trying to haul out the time until she knew what was going on in her mind, but she was afraid to sit down with herself and think about it.

_Was the sight of the man already enough to pull her towards him?_

On Saturday, which was the official day to have fun, she made yet again a bowl of popcorn and found a movie from her vast collection. Her party dress was left in the closet and her dark blue pajama bottoms were on with a white t-shirt. Her face was free of makeup and her thick, long brown hair was piled on top of her head in a bun.

There was no reason for her to go out anyway, so why bother to dress up? With only a hand full of people that were once her friends, she no longer had anyone to enjoy the magical moments with. She had lost them all when she was stupid enough to sleep with her best friend. Not one word had she heard from him since that night they both had been stupid, and neither had she tried to get contact with him again.

_Under the Tuscan Sun_ was the just the right movie to wallow and curling up in the chair, a different one, Bella was ready to spend a hundred and thirteen minutes clued to the ridicules big screen in their home theater. Edward was out of her mind most of the time during the movie and when she thought about it, she managed to push him as far away as possible, afraid that she might get lost in the thought about him; she wouldn't be able to get out of her own thoughts then.

At the end of the movie, Bella felt a small longing to be the main character, to have her life. She didn't want a husband that would cheat and then end up having a child with his mistress, but she wanted supportive friends, she wanted a family where you would be loved no matter what. She wanted the perfect happy life she had barely gotten a small taste off with her father.

As the movie ended, Bella gathered her things form the home theater and went to the kitchen to make herself a small meal before showering and bed. It was barely ten in the evening, but she wanted to get the most out her last day where the house would be only hers, therefore, she needed to get up early.

She was eating a grilled chicken sandwich at the kitchen island when the headlights of a car flooded the semi dark kitchen. Unable to move, Bella listened to the engine being cut off, the opening and closing of a car door and the heavy footsteps on the gravel. She expected someone to use the doorbell, but when she heard keys going into the lock, she left her sandwich and ran into the living room, ready to sneak up to her room and avoid her mother and step-father.

She didn't get to her room before her name was called out. It wasn't her mother or Phil, neither was it Greta or her husband, Eric.

"Edward?" she poked her head around the corner and couldn't quite understand what he was doing at her house so late or how he had gotten his hands on a key. "What are you doing here?" she asked, taking a step down so she could see him better.

He was dressed in dark jeans, a white t-shirt and a dark brown leather jacket. He looked perfect in her eyes, so perfect that she barely noticed how his jaw was set and his eyes were hard.

"Get down here," was all he said, no 'Hello' or anything. Bella hesitated a little, but he wasn't going to have it. "Bella, get down here. Now!" hurriedly, she ran down the rest of the stair and stopped in front of him.

"What's going on?" she asked, contemplating running out the open front door as she wondered where the sweet Edward she had met earlier in the week.

"Are your phone turned on, Bella?" Bella shook her head, knowing fully well that it was turned off and lying on her bed upstairs. "Why?"

"Uhm.." she wasn't sure how to tell him that she was avoiding him.

"Actually, that doesn't matter, but I got a call from your mother, who was very distressed, saying that she couldn't reach you at all. Now, I promised to check on you and make you call her so she will know that you are just fine."

"No one's been calling the last few days except, well, uhm you," the blush that colored her cheeks was impossible to hold back as she admitted fully that she was avoiding him.

"Screening your calls, I see," the smirk he gave her was quick and over before she barely registered it and he was back to being serious and all business. "Now, call your mother."

And she did, with Edward hanging over her like a hawk. The conversation with her mother was brief and she didn't ask if Bella was doing ok on her own once. All she wanted to know, so she could tell Phil later, was if Edward had showed up and made her make the call. Other than that, Renee had ranted about how many cute young boys she had seen during the week and how a few of them had potential to become her lover. Bella had faked a loving goodbye with her mother before hanging up.

"Now, was that so hard?" Edward asked with a smirk where he sat at the kitchen island, watching Bella.

She didn't answer him, but cleaned up after herself, throwing her half eaten sandwich away, before she left him in the kitchen and went upstairs to her room. She didn't expect him to follow, so she stepped out of her pajama bottoms and pulled the t-shirt over her head.

"Bella," the sound of his voice made her freeze and a red blush colored her whole body as she stood in nothing but her panties in the middle of her room. The only thing he could see was her back, but it was more than enough for her to feel his body against her own. She hated that she had no control over her body anymore.

"You don't have to stay," she told him as she reached for her robe, her back still towards him.

"Bella, we need to talk," she could hear him coming into the room, feel his eyes on her as she wrapped the robe over her shoulders and tied it.

"I'm going to take a shower," was her response and she locked herself in her bathroom.

Turning on the water, she pushed a button marked 'STEAM', knowing that she would hate herself in the morning when she had to deal with the frizz, but all she wanted right there, right then was a relaxing shower. The water cascaded over her body from the overhead showerhead, but it wasn't enough. She reached for a smaller showerhead next to the tap and fumbled with a few buttons before spreading her legs and leaning against the shower wall, letting the water do the magic she needed.

As climax came crashing over her, she bit her lip hard so she wouldn't make a noise but a few whimpers escaped. It was barely enough for her to cope but unsure if Edward was still in her room, she couldn't settle in for a second one.

Wrapped in her robe, she opened the bathroom door to let some of the steam out and just as she had thought, Edward was still there, sitting in her blue chair next to her bed. She tried to ignore him, but knowing that he had been there whole time as she was naked in the other room, the thought of what she had done to herself with him so close, it made her whole body blush in lust.

It wasn't easy to ignore him, but she managed to walk over to her dresser without looking at him, though she felt his eyes on her as she opened the top drawer and stared down on her lingerie. She wanted to get dressed but she also wanted to feel sexy for Edward, though she knew that nothing could happen between them, at least not yet.

Picking up a pair of dark blue lace panties, she turned to go back to the bathroom where she would get dressed, but right behind her stood Edward and she gasped when she saw him so close to her, a hand flying up to her chest as if it could stop her erratic heart from beating so fast.

"No more hiding, no more walking away, Bella; we need to talk, now," he took her free hand and led her over to her bed. He himself took a seat in her blur chair, which she was grateful for that he did.

She didn't say anything, though, but sat there, her legs clamped together as she felt exposed and vulnerable to him. Afraid that she might lose herself, she stared her hands in her lap an waited for him to start, to say anything.

"I know that what almost happened Wednesday night was a mistake and that I should have been able to control myself better than I did, but Bella, you need to tell me what you feel." He waited for her to say something, to look at him at least, but she didn't.

Rising from the chair, he sat down next to her on the bed, but didn't touch her, though she wanted him to touch in some way or the other.

"I need to know if you wanted it or not, Bella, I need to know that I didn't hurt you," he pleaded with her. And he waited again for her to say something to him, but nothing ever came and he lost his patience in the end.

Sighing loudly, he rose from the bed and headed for the door. With a hand on the knob, he looked back at her, their eyes meeting a brief second before her eyes once again were strained on her lap. The he left.

She listened to his footsteps down the hall and imagined the sound of him walking down the stairs, the sound of him opening and closing the door and the sound of his car leaving.

"I'm afraid!" she called, jumping from the bed and running after him, reaching him just as he opened the door. "I'm afraid," she whispered just loud enough for him to hear it and turn at the sound of her voice.

"Afraid?" he questioned and she nodded. She watched him close the door and turn the lock before walking up to where she was standing at the stairs. "Tell me," he murmured and together they walked back to her bedroom.

Like a gentleman, he turned away so she could get her underwear on and a t-shirt. Then, he took of his shoes, threw his jacket on the blue chair and sat down on the bed with her, both of them with their legs crossed.

"This is all very new to me," she murmured, staring down at the pattern her duvet was covered in. "I don't know what I'm feeling, it's something that I've never felt before and it really scares me." She was slowly pouring her heart out to him and thought she wanted to look him in the eyes as she spoke, she couldn't find the strength to lift her gaze to his, not until she saw his hand reached out slowly, taking hold of her chin and tilting her head up slowly to meet his gaze. Letting his thumb brush softly over her lips, he gave her an encouraging smile.

"I want you," she whispered as he let go of her chin. "I can't stop thinking about that night three days ago, how your body felt against mine, how your lips were against my skin and the weight of your body upon mine. I'm embarrassed to say it, but I've been longing to feel all that again, even if it's only one last time."

"It doesn't have to be one last time," he said, no emotion visible on his face, as he leaned towards her and kissed her neck.

"I want to-" she breathed as his lips didn't leave her skin, "- know you. I want to know you," she had barely enough strength to pull away from him and when she did, she missed the feeling of his lips.

"And you will, tomorrow, if you are willing to come with me and my family to our annual hiking."

"Hiking?" she questioned as she saw herself falling a lot as she tried to follow Edward and his family.

"I've seen you dance, Bella, I know you're not that terrible on your feet, but I promise, that I will make sure that you don't fall too often." It was as if he could read her minds and she smiled as he leaned forward once more and kissed the corner of her mouth.

"But you will need some sleep, so I will leave, for now."

"When will we be leaving," she asked as he sat down at the edge of her bed and started to put his shoes back on.

"I will be here tomorrow morning at eight thirty, so make sure to be ready by then and eat a good breakfast."

"Bye," she murmured as he pulled his jacket on and left. She listened as he walked down the stairs, to the sound of the front door being unlocked and opened, then closed and locked again before she heard him walk on the gravel. When she heard him start the engine of his car, she crawled underneath the covers and turned off the light.

Hiking, that could be interesting.

~O~O~O

Bella woke up as the first warm rays of the sun filtered through her curtains and landed on her face. Stretching, she looked forward to meeting Edward's family and spend the whole day with them, and Edward himself of course. She never been hiking after her father had died, and when he was alive, it had only been one time when she was seven. Hiking couldn't have changed that much in fourteen years, but the nature could and it had.

Pushing all the horrible images of herself falling and hitting her on a rock or tripping over her own feet and bringing someone down with her in the fall, Bella got out of bed and did her morning ritual before dressing in thin tights and wind and water tight pants, a long sleeved t-shirt underneath a short sleeved t-shirt and a flannel shirt.

She had no idea what hiking was for Edward and his family, so just make sure to be on the safe side, Bella found a pair of old jeans and her trainers in case she was a little overdressed. All she could do was to wait for Edward to come and pick her up, which gave her two hours to make a good breakfast and eat it.

As she ate her granola and yoghurt, waiting for the coffee to be done, she started to make a mental list over things she could ask Edward. On the top of the list was his age. He didn't look like he could be over thirty but then again, he could just simply be a man that was able to take care of himself. She knew he was older than her, a lot older, judging from the way he held himself and the way he spoke.

Her mind was cluttered with questions about Edward, about herself and about her own future, so cluttered that she lost track of time and before she knew, a Jeep pulled up in front of the house and she watched Edward jump out and come to the door. A smile came to her lips as she ran to let him in.

"Good morning," he smiled at her and Bella gave him a quick once-over before turning on her heels and running up to her room. "Hey!" Edward called after her and she heard him come after him.

"Just going to change real quick!" she called over her shoulder and pulled off her pants and tights as Edward reached her room.

"Why?" he asked, crossing his arms and leaning against the door frame.

"Because I don't want to look as if I'm trying too hard," she gave him a sheepish smile as she buttoned her jeans and found her boots. Edward didn't say anything but shook his head, a smile playing on his lips as he held out his hand for Bella to take and led her to his car.

"Ready to go hiking?" he asked as he fastened his seatbelt, giving Bella a half crocked smile.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four**

"Are you ready to meet everybody?" Edward asked has he turned off the engine. Nervous, Bella nodded and took a deep breath before unfastening her seatbelt and stepping out of the car.

His family was standing at the beginning of a trail, talking and laughing together. They hadn't noticed her yet but when they saw Edward, the slam of his car door pulling their attention to him, they all smiled and waved at him. Edward waved back before turning to Bella, holding his hand out to her.

"Come," he smiled at her and she placed her hand in his. Together, they walked over to his family. "Everyone, I would like you all to meet Bella Swan." All eyes were on her and she gave them a timid wave of her hand.

"Lovely to meet you, Bella," a woman stepped forward, taking Bella's hand. Her hair was like Edward's, golden caramel and her eyes were bright green. "I'm Edward's mother, Esme."

"Nice to meet you," Bella smiled back, feeling the warmth radiating from Esme's being.

"Bella, this is my father, Carlisle," a tall blond man stepped forward, his smile just as warm as his wife. Bella could see that Edward had gotten all of his parent's good features, like the color of his eyes from his mother and the color of his hair, the depth from his father's eyes and his strong jaw.

"Nice to meet you, Bella," Carlisle smiled. "Now, let me introduce you to the rest of the family. This is Emmett, Edward's brother." Emmett was big and bulky but the smile his sent her, the dimples he had as he did so, was enough to assure her that Emmett wasn't one to pick a fight. With them was also Edward's and Emmett's cousin, Alice Brandon, a small pixie like girl with short black hair. She didn't bother shaking Bella's hand but brought her into a hug.

With Alice was a young man with blond hair, Jasper Whitlock. He wasn't as open as Alice, but he stepped forward and shook Bella's hand firmly. Last was a young woman, tall, blond and with perfect skin. She was Jasper's cousin, Rosalie, and she was married with Emmett. As she stood to shake Bella's hand, Bella couldn't help but notice her slightly rounded stomach and wandered if it would be safe for her to hike after such a rain full week. She held her tongue.

"Since we are all here now and Bella have met everyone, why don't we get going?" Carlisle asked, hoisting his rug sack on. "Remember, last one up have to find wood for the fire." Before the sentence was finished, Emmett and Jasper started running up the trail, Alice and Rose at their heels.

"Something tells me that we are the ones who have to find wood," Edward laughed as he found his own rug sack and fastened it over his chest.

"How far is this trail?" Bella asked as they followed Carlisle and Esme.

"Not sure actually, never measured it, but it takes about an hour in slow pace and if you are willing to run up-hill, about thirty minutes."

"I can tell you now that we might use longer than an hour," Bella informed Edward and on cue, she almost slipped on some wet rocks that covered the trail.

"Well, then I'm betting against you and saying that we will reach the clearing in fifty minutes."

"In your dreams," Bella laughed, walking up to Esme.

"So Bella, how did you and Edward meet?" Bella wasn't quite sure how to answer that and looked at Edward, who was walking with his father. She was sure that telling his mother than he was thinking about buying her land from her step-father also gave him her was a bad idea, instead, she told her some of the truth.

"We met in April when Edward was having a meeting with my step-father and before he left, we talked a little. Guess we've been talking ever since then," Bella shrugged with a smile.

"Well, we didn't even know that he had met someone new as he never tells us anything about his life. He can be very secretive sometime, Bella, so don't be afraid to push the answers out of him if you ever feel that he's keeping something from you," Esme winked at her and gave her a pat on the shoulder. They walked for a while without talking and fearing that the silence would become awkward and strained, Bella asked the first question she could think of.

"Edward hasn't told me much about you," Bella started, "What do you work with?"

"Oh, I haven't worked since Edward was three," Esme confessed, "And I don't regret staying home with my beautiful children, never will, but with Carlisle working at the hospital I have a lot of time on my hands. About two years ago I started a small center for young troubled girls where I help them find a steady job, a place to live and any kind of help they might need."

"Wow," Bella couldn't come with a better response, stunned by Esme's kindness.

"It does something with you, helping others, but it's hard to find descent apartments for those who don't have a lot of work experience, so I want to create a community for them with apartments, rehab and the ability to see a psychiatrist, preschool and daycare in the same area. Unfortunately, Carlisle and I can't use all of our own personal money to make this possible; neither do we have enough to finish it, so this project is on hold for the moment."

"What about private investors?" Bella asked.

"We thought about that but there is already so many help centers that people are investing in, so unless I can promise them that this community will work and that no one will lose their money, no one wants to invest," Esme explained, "But you Bella, to me, you seem like a bright young girl and I am sure that you will think of something and hopefully, you will share it with me. And when you do, I would love to have you working by my side," Esme's warm smile left butterflies in Bella's but Edward and Esme switched places before she could respong.

Bella watched as Carlisle reached for Esme's hand and smiled with adoration at her.

"How long have your parents been married?" Bella asked when Carlisle and Esme was out of earshot.

"If I'm not mistaken it will be thirty-five years this July. Let's see, they had been married two years before Emmett was born and he turns thirty-three in August," Edward explained as they walked the trail.

"Thirty-three," Bella murmured. "Are you older or younger than your brother?" Bella asked as Edward helped her over a moss covered tree that had fallen over many years ago.

"I'm younger than him and I have a feeling that you're also wondering what my exact age is as well," he smirked at her. She loved his smirk. "I'm twenty-eight, Bella."

"Thank God," she breathed out in relief.

"You thought I was older than thirty?" Edward asked with a laugh as they picked up their pace to keep up with Carlisle and Esme.

"I only thought you were on your thirties. Most of the men Phil have been trying to introduce me to over the years have been his age and Phil is turning sixty-three in only three weeks."

"A ten year age difference, even fifteen, is in my book appropriate, but when the age difference grows with approximately ten more years, it shouldn't be allowed."

"When I was fifteen, Phil introduced me to his brother, who turned sixty the same year. Phil had him writing his name before he informed him that he wouldn't be able to have sex with me until I turned eighteen, the one thing my mom insisted on. When he heard that, he shredded the contract and told Phil to go to hell before storming off. Phil was furious, my mom sad because she couldn't buy the car she wanted and I was thrilled."

"Bella, you do know that what they were trying to do back then is illegal, right?" Edward asked, concerned masking his face.

"I know, but Greta and Eric was prepared to kidnap and me take me away from the madness is anyone ended up signing the contract before I turned eighteen. Besides, after that, it kind of calmed down a little. No one wanted to marry someone they couldn't use as a sex-toy right away."

"Greta has been more like a mother to you the last few years than your mother have been your whole life, hasn't she?" Edward asked as the stopped by a small creek that ran across the trail to drink some water.

"Yes, Greta is an amazing woman with so much love that for one person, I think it can be a little overwhelming. She and Eric, her husband, got married when she was only eighteen and before she turned thirty, they had five children, two boys and three girls. They have fourteen grandchildren that live close by and every holiday, they are all together as a family should be."

"Sounds nice." From there, they walked in silence as they caught up with Carlisle and Esme, who were chatting happily together. Bella's eyes were almost constantly fixed on their intervened hands as they walk. Now and then, her gaze would fall upon Edward, and she would watch his profile and his hands. She wondered how it would feel to hold hands with Edward as they walked together, but she held herself back and her hands hung freely at her side.

As they walked on, the trail got steeper and Bella slipped again and again, though there were no slippery stones or tree trunks on the trail. The ground was, though, slightly muddy after the rain and as Carlisle, Esme and Edward almost jumped from spot to spot, knowing the trail as the back of their hand, Bella struggled, but didn't care much.

Until their reached what reminded her of a small mountain in the middle of the woods. The rock was stretched out on both sides and Bella could see that the only way to get over it was to follow those who knew the trail and it seemed that the best way was to climb.

Carlisle went first and Edward helped is mother to up to where Carlisle was holding out his hand. Then it was their turn.

"Do you want me to climb up first and hoist you up or to help you and stand down here while Carlisle is up there?" Edward asked and Bella looked between Edward, the rock and Carlisle several times before she was able to decide.

"Maybe it's best if you are down here in case I fall?" she asked and the smile Edward gave her was breathtaking.

"Okay, place your right hand here, your left here and put your right foot in that slot. As you pull yourself up, I will give a little extra push and keep you steady as you reach for Carlisle's hand," Bella did as she was told but she wasn't prepared.

As she pushed herself off the ground with her left foot and put her weight on her right, she felt Edward's hand on the back of her thighs and as he pushed her up, his hands moved. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest as his hands shimmered over her butt and she almost forgot to reach out for Carlisle and grasp his hand.

"That's the worst part," Esme assured Bella as Edward climbed up the rock with ease. He grinned at Bella and winked at her when his parents started walking again. She wasn't sure what he meant with the wink, but she was starting to feel all the walking in her legs and felt like taking a break.

"Is it far?"

"No, we're almost there now." As they got closer, Bella started to breathe more heavily and walk slower, but she insisted on showing Edward, and herself for that matter, that hiking wasn't something was opposed to do again. She did enjoy the stillness of the nature after the rain, the smell and the beauty, and she enjoyed the company especially.

Bella was about to point out to Edward that 'almost there' had a different meaning to him than to her when he pushed thick branches out of the way and reviled a clearing. In aw, Bella stepped into the clearing and took it all. It was a secluded place with a small cabin on the far side of the clearing.

"It's beautiful," Bella murmured as Edward came up to her. They could hear Emmett and Jasper somewhere in the woods and Alice and Rosalie laughing from the hut.

"It is and it's ours. This land and miles in every direction belongs to the Cullen Family. That's why it's just a forest here and nothing more and why the trail can be tricky to walk some places; we're the only one using it."

"You guys are finally here!" Emmett's voice boomed through the clearing as Jasper and he came with their arms loaded with wood. "Now we can eat."

"Food is the only thing you can think of," Jasper laughed as he followed Emmett into the cabin.

"I hope you are hungry because we have a lot of hot dogs with us today," Edward said as they joined everyone else.

"I hope you didn't go to all this trouble because of me," Bella hoped as they reached the cabin. It was first then that she noticed that it was round and not really a cabin, rather a small shelter. There were no windows but an open door to let fresh air inside and light. In the middle was an open fire and against the walls were benches with blankets.

"Don't worry, we always pack a lot of food as we never know how much food Emmett is going to eat, and now that Rose is pregnant, we're always prepared," Alice told Bella as she got up from her seat and took Bella by the hand, leading her over to the fire.

"How far along are you?" Bella asked Rosalie as she unfolded the blanket and sat down on it.

"About four months, a little over actually," Rosalie smiled and Bella could see that the pregnancy was being kind with her; she had a radiating glow around her that Bella had never seen before.

"Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?" she asked, accepting a cup of coffee from Edward, thanking him.

"I want to know, we all do, but Rose is insisting on waiting until we're in the middle of the second trimester," Emmett explained, passing around sticks to everyone.

"Thank you," Rosalie said as she started to lay out the hot dog buns on a plate in her lap, "We've had a hard time getting pregnant and now that we finally are past the most risky months of the pregnancy." Bella just sat there, nodding like a fool, stunned that they were so open to a stranger.

"Speechless, hu?" Edward nudged her with his elbow and Bella nodded dumbly.

"I bet you are wondering why I just told you that," Rosalie stated. "You see, you are the first girl, sorry, woman Edward have introduces us to, at least since I became a part of this family, and Bella, means that you're going to be with us for a long time." A blush colored Bella's cheek and as she glanced at Edward, she noticed that he as well was a little flushed.

"It's not that I don't enjoy making fun of Edward, but I would like to know more about Bella," Alice said and everyone agreed. Seven pairs of eyes were on her.

"Uhm, I live basically on the border with my mother and her husband, Phil." There wasn't much to say.

"Phil is your step-father?" Esme asked and Bella nodded. "And your father?" Bella knew that people always wanted to know where her father was when they learned that Phil only was her step-father, but still, it was a topic she rather stayed away from than talk about; Charlie was still, fourteen years later, a sore spot for her.

"My father died when I was seven," was all she said, taking a sip of her coffee and concentrating on the hot dog she was holding over the flames. There were no more questions about her family, but rather stories about Edward and Emmett as children, even Alice, who Bella learned had lived with them since she was two when her mother, Esme's sister, was sent to rehab.

"-and even though my boys couldn't stand the thought of playing with dolls anymore, they wouldn't let me take Alice shopping for a new clothes when she was two and had just arrived at our house. They insisted on coming with me and Emmett even pulled down his pants, pushed his tinker between his legs and yelled 'I'm a girl too!' just as Carlisle came walking through the door. And don't you try to say that you were just a kid, Emmett Dale; you were eleven." Bella laughed so hard that she had to hold her side.

"A very proud moment, or what, Emmett?" Edward laughed.

"Oh, don't mock your brother Edward, or have you forgotten when Alice gave you a make-over when you were thirteen? For a whole day we all called you Edwina, on your request."

"I kind of like hearing all this stories about you, Edwina," Bella laughed, ignoring the hard stare from Edward.

"The two of you have had your moments, boys, but I couldn't be more proud of you," Carlisle said, squeezing Esme's hand. "I will always remember the day we came home with Alice. Esme and I was sure that you two would refuse to acknowledge her, refuse to share the attention, but instead you helped us raise out Alice," Carlisle wrapped his free arm around Alice and hugged her tightly and Bella noticed that Alice was crying, as was Esme and Rosalie.

"Uhm," Edward started, clearing his throat, "I think I'm going to show Bella around a little before we head back," everyone just nodded and Bella followed Edward as he headed for the trees.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked when Edward helped her over another fallen tree.

"I want to show you where I spent most of my summers when I was a teenager," he said with a smile and led her towards the sound of running water.

When they reached a rock, Bella gasped and she found it impossible to take her eyes off the beauty she was watching. This rock was much taller than the one they had climbed earlier, and covered in moss. But the thing that mesmerized Bella was the way water ran down the side. It was as if someone had carved out a road in the stone, for the water to follow down to a small creek that ran along the rock.

"This is…" Bella couldn't finish her whispered sentence, afraid that she might ruin it if she spoke any louder.

"Beautiful? I know," Edward, smiling at her as he held out a hand for her, "Come here," she took it without any questions and he led over to a place where the rock was almost dry and pushed her up against it.

"What are you doing?" Bella laughed as he kissed her neck.

"What I've been meaning to do since Wednesday," he smirked and kissed her on the lips. Any thoughts she might have had was gone and she could do was to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him back.

"Finally," she breathed when they had to break away for more air. "I've been longing for those lips on my skin, on my own lips, for days," she confessed, pulling him closer for another kiss.

Their bubble burst when Edward glanced at his watch. They had lying on the ground underneath a small shelf where the ground was dry, arms around each other, content.

"We have to go back before they send Emmett after us and believe me, we don't want that."

"If we must," Bella sighed, getting to her feet and brushing the dirt off her pants.

"You know, there's still one thing we have to do," Edward said as they walked back to the cabin, their hands intervened.

"What?"

"Talk."

"Oh, I guess I can't sneak myself out of it," Bella mumbled, dreading the talk even though there was nothing to fear. "Maybe you can come over tonight and we can talk then?" Bella asked, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

"Good idea," he whispered, sneaking a quick kiss before the trees couldn't hide them anymore.

When they reached the cabin, everything was packed, the blankets folded and the fire was out.

"Em and Rose already left because Rose was getting a little tired," Alice informed them, handing Edward his rug sack before skipping over to Jasper and taking his hand as they started on the way down. Bella noticed as they followed, that it wasn't the same trail as the one they had taken up and voiced her question to Edward.

"This trail isn't as steep as the other and therefore easier to walk," Edward explained.

"Are you saying that you had me walk the other trail, knowing that this one was more suited for me?" Bella asked, feeling the frustration grow inside her.

"Bella," Edward started, taking her hand, "Yes, this one is perhaps more suited for you as you haven't been hiking as much as us, but taking this one would have taken longer and walked up in less than an hour."

"I did?"

"You did, and even less than I thought."

"How much then?" Bella asked excitedly.

"Forty-nine minutes," Edward smiled, laughing as he saw her lips pucker into a pout.

"It's only one minute! You thought I would make it in fifty so it doesn't really count," Bella huffed in frustration.

"It's still less than what I thought, so please be a little proud of yourself," Edward begged her.

"Fine," she huffed, holding back a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five**

Well at home, Edward had kissed Bella goodbye, promising that he would be back around seven. It gave Bella more than enough time to shower and make dinner, even though they hadn't said anything about eating together: Bella wanted to impress him.

But she didn't get that far.

After getting inside, she had kicked off her boots in the hall and walked up the stairs on heavy feet, exhausted and tired and longing so for a hot shower to wash of the sweat she had worked up on the way to the cabin.

In her room she stripped of and went straight for the shower, hitting the 'STEAM' button and letting the water wash over her as she slid down the wall and to the floor. She just stared at the white tiles on the opposite wall, not really seeing it, and when her lids grew heavy, she managed to push herself off the floor, dry herself off before walking naked to her bed, falling and wrapping the covers tightly around herself. Her pillow was soaked in seconds but she didn't notice before she was out like a light.

~O~O~O

"Bella," at the sound of her name, Bella opened her eyes and tried to focus on what was in front of her, with difficulty.

"Edward?" she muttered, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes before focusing again, this time actually able to see him.

"Guess we should have taken the other trail after all," he laughed, stroking her tangled hair out of her face.

"No, it was fine, just a little tired," she murmured, rolling over on her back, the covers sliding down a little, almost revealing her naked form.

"I bought some pizza," Edward said as she sat up, clutching the covers to her chest, "It's down in the kitchen. Do you want to eat down stairs or here in bed?"

"Bed please."

"Okay, bed it is," Edward couldn't hold the laugh back as Bella looked around her own bedroom as if she had never seen it before. "Why don't put some clothes on and I will get the pizza and something to drink?" Bella nodded, releasing the covers and exposing herself as she got out of bed.

The short way over to her dresser was long and she had barely gotten her panties on before Edward was back. She smiled when she noticed how he stopped in the door and looked at her as if she was the only thing he could see, but she was chilled and quickly found a sweater and put on before crawling back in bed.

"What kind of pizza is it?" she asked as Edward pushed the door close with his foot before placing the pizza box on the bed in front of her.

"I wasn't sure what you liked, but I bought one called 'Meat lovers'; basically a pizza with a lot of beef and chees," Edward shrugged as he took his shoes of and sat down on the bed across form Bella.

"Sound perfect," she smiled, opening the box and taking a piece, moaning as the taste of the cheese, sauce and beef invaded her mouth; she hadn't realized how hungry she was until the food was in her mouth.

"It tastes good, I take it?" Edward laughed as he took a piece himself.

"I didn't know I was that hungry," Bella said between bites, finishing the first piece in no time.

For a little while, they sat in silence as they ate, but the longer the silence grew, the more Bella wanted to break it.

"I guess we have to start talking soon, don't we?" she asked, stretching out her legs before crossing them again.

"Last night, you said you were scared, that these feeling you were feeling was new to you and you weren't sure how to handle them," Bella nodded, though it wasn't a question. "There's more to it than just you being scared because of the new feelings, isn't it?"

"You will know eventually, so I guess there's no reason to hold back," she said, throwing her piece of pizza in the box and taking a sip of her soda, "Sexual desire isn't new to me, I've felt it ever since my body started to develop into the once I have today, but I've only had sex once, years ago, and the only word that can describe it is 'horrible'. It was with my best friend at the time, who I thought I liked, but as we kissed, it felt strange and I felt nothing. When it was over, I was glad but I didn't say anything to him, afraid that it would ruin our friendship. Because of that, me not telling him, he thought that my feelings for him had grown stronger, so he started to push me away and before I knew it, we no longer had any contact. I could have told him that he wasn't the passionate lover he wanted to be and that he had ruined my first time by thinking more about his own needs, but I didn't and somehow, I don't regret not telling him anything. What I'm trying to say it that what I feel now when I'm you is so much stronger and different than what I felt with Jacob. The feelings back then is nothing compared to what I feel towards you and it feels like something pulling me towards you. I don't even know you and I want to jump you!" Bella buried her face in her hands, embarrassed over what she had just confessed to Edward, but she didn't have time to get lost in her own thoughts before she heard something fall to the floor and her lips were covered with Edward's.

"This Jacob was fool to think of his needs only," he muttered against her lips and Bella wrapped her arms tightly around Edward. "He should have known that a girl's first time is special but at the same time, I'm glad he was stupid; I wouldn't have had the honor to make you feel what you deserve to feel." Nothing he said made sense to her as he kissed her neck, all she knew that it she didn't cling to him, she wouldn't fly away on a pink sky and be lost in a world of pleasure.

"I want you, Edward," Bella panted, rocking into him. "Please, now."

"How can I deny you anything?" laughed, kissing her one more time before pulling her sweater over her head, sitting back at his heels and drinking in the sight in front of him.

"You can look at me later," Bella almost whined, taking a fistful of his sweater and pulling him closer to her again, her hands clawing on his back, almost ripping the sweater of him.

Edward wasted no time undressing her or himself, feeling her hunger, her lust, and for that Bella was great full.

He was a sight, though, and it was Bella's turn to use time to just watch him. Everything about him was simply perfect with his chiseled chest, toned arms and legs and soft smile. It felt as if they were one; he moved a little closer to her, she fell back against the pillows, he leaned over her, she wrapped a leg around him, bringing him closer. Everything felt so natural with him.

"We don't have to do this if you aren't ready," Edward said, looking her dead in the eye, but Bella shook her head and smiled, kissing him softly on the lips to let him know that she wanted it more than anything.

Slowly, he lowered himself and found her entrance. Bella gasped in pleasure as she felt him against her burning flesh, her eyes on his as he ever so slowly started to enter her.

It was almost too much for her; she had wanted him for what seemed like too long and now she had him. As she took more of him, her back arched on its own accord, her eyes squeezed shut tightly and her mouth forming a perfect 'O' in a soundless moan.

It was first when all of him was buried inside her, she could relax some, her breathing harsh as she adjusted to the feeling of him, but it didn't stop her from smiling and kissing him long and hard before he started to move.

Not one word was exchange, only kisses. Edward's hand roamed her body as he supported himself on the other so he wouldn't crush her under his weight.

All too soon it seemed, Bella felt a familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach, the fire growing for every thrust, for every kiss they shared. The feeling was stronger than she had ever felt it, leaving her gasping for air, unable to form a single word.

Closer and closer her climax came and as she exploded, she clung to Edward for dear life, her face buried in his neck as she shock violently underneath him and when she felt him reach his own climax, shuddering above her, it was the tip of the iceberg and she cried out his name, her back arching, pushing her away from him as she tried to hold on to him for dear life.

They were both breathing heavily when Edward rolled off her, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her close to his side.

"That was…" Bella was unable to finish her sentence, her mind foggy with pleasure and her body tingling.

"It was," Edward agreed, nodding his head as he stared up at the ceiling.

They laid there in silent for many minutes, regaining their strength and ability to talk again. Bella was making slow circles on Edward's chest with her finger, smiling to herself as Edward did the same to her back with his hand, his circles growing until his hand shimmered over her butt.

"If possible, I would like to stay like this forever," Bella murmured against Edward's skin, kissing his chest softly.

"Unfortunately, there's a world out there and I know about several people that would miss us if we were to stay here forever."

"Maybe," Bella sighed, "But what do we do now?" she asked, moving so she was resting her chin on his chest, looking up at him.

"We can just lie here, or maybe we can find an activity to entertain ourselves," Bella saw the smirk that played on Edward's lips and played with him.

"And what kind of activity do you recommend?" she asked, sitting up on her knees, resting her hands on her thighs.

"Oh, I can think of one that will be most pleasurable for the both of us," he said, sitting up against the headboard.

"I do believe I know what you have in mind," Bella smirked, moving so she was sitting across his lap.

"Oh, do you now?"

"Yes, I do," she murmured, leaning forward and capturing his lips with her own, the kiss starting out slow but it grew hungrier and soon Edward's hand were roaming over her body again as she moved against him, creating friction.

"Are you ready for this?" Edward managed to ask between kisses but the only answer he got from Bella was a moan as he nibbled the flesh of her neck.

Words were useless and Edward watched Bella with fascination when her back arched as he entered her. Her eyes fluttered and her mouth hung open as she panted, her hips rolling against his.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," Bella heard the words Edward spoke, but she was unable to respond to his words other than the movement of her body and her carnal actions in their love making.

The fire in her stomach started to grow and Bella knew she would explode, the fire burning her from the inside for every touch, for every trust and every movement they made together. She didn't know what it felt like being high, but Bella was sure that she could relate to it, that the feelings that were flowing through her body, making her body feel boneless, wasn't so different from being high on drugs.

"Edward," she panted erratically, "I – oh my God – I think I – oh God, oh God!" the fire in her stomach exploded, the climax spreading through her body like a fire through dry grass in the summer. It tied her to Edward as her body shook against him, tying her tongue, making it impossible for her to make a coherent sentence.

She felt Edward explode inside her and his hands clung to her skin as their heavy breathing mixed and their slick bodies moved with each other.

"You are a vixen," Edward murmured when they had caught their breath again, "And you have a stamina any man would be lucky to have."

"You're not so bad yourself," Bella managed to laugh, not wanting move from the comfortable position she was in; nestled against Edward's chest with his arms wrapped tightly around her, giving her warmth.

"Are you tired?" Edward asked her when her head started loll from his shoulder.

"A little," she admitted, blinking a few times to regain some focus, "But I don't want to move."

"You don't have to," he told her as he lifted her up so he could slide free off her center. Bella missed him at once, but enjoyed the feeling of not being stretched out. She was about to roll off him, but Edward wasn't having that and held onto her as she rose from the bed without difficulty. As if she was light as a feather, Edward carried her across the room and to the bathroom where he placed her on the counter next to the sink, the cold stone creating goosebumps all over her body.

Fascinated by how his body was built, Bella watched Edward as she turned on the water it he shower, tested the temperature before turning back to her with a warm smile.

"You look beautiful," he murmured as he walked over to her and brushed away a few strands of hair from her face, "Especially now with your messy hair and glow of love making."

"You don't look so bad yourself," Bella said, stretching her neck to kiss him, even though her lips were sore.

"Come, time to shower," with ease, he lifted her up again as if she was nothing more than a feather and carried her into the shower, the hot water feeling lovely against her skin.

In the shower, Edward placed her on her own feet, but didn't let go of her as he reached for her apple scented body wash and squirted a little into his hand before starting to wash her down. Bella just stood there as he crouched in front of her and washed her legs, enjoying the feeling of getting clean, and the feeling of his hands on her body; she would never get tired of that feeling.

Acting as if she couldn't move by herself, Edward pushed her gently against the wall when all the soap suds were washed off her body, reaching for the body wash again. As he started to lather up the soap between his hands, Bella reached out to stop him.

"Let me," she murmured, letting the water wash the soap away as she squirted a little into her hands and crouching in front of him. She was unsure of herself, but she wanted to do something for him.

With care, she started with his feet and slowly worked her way up his legs and to his thighs. When she reached his midsection, she was unsure what to do, to proceed or continue on, but Edward guided her past it and to his stomach, where she continued to wash him with care, her hands sliding softly over his chest.

As she started to wash his shoulders, she looked up to meet his eyes and she was at once lost in the depth of his eyes. They were to only two persons who exited at that moment as he wrapped his arms around her and they held each other underneath the water.

Nothing, or no one, could break their bubble.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter six**

The sun was warming her bedroom and a ray of sun hit her arm that was wrapped over Edward's chest. Blinking, sleep clinging to her, Bella looked at Edward's sleeping form; he looked so beautiful and peaceful. She wasn't sure how long she was looking at him but he must have felt it somehow as it didn't take long before his eyes blinked open and he turned his head to meet Bella's eyes.

"Good morning," he murmured, kissing the top of her head.

"Good morning yourself," she smiled back at him, kissing his chest, his chest hair tickling her lips as she did so.

"Do you know what time it is?" Edward asked her and she felt him stretch his legs underneath her, never letting go off her.

"No, but I only get the sun in the morning so I don't it's past ten yet."

"I think I should get going; don't want to be here when your parents get home," Edward muttered as he untangled himself from Bella and started to get dressed.

Bella watched him button his jeans and his shirt, resting her head on the pillow he had used; it smelled just like him. When he started to put on his shoes, Bella managed to find the courage and voice her question.

"Are you going to talk with Phil?" she murmured.

"I will, but Bella, I don't want to own you like I will if I sign the contract; I want to have your heart," Edward's eyes were pained and Bella hated to see his beautiful, warm eyes like that.

"I have more I need to tell you," Bella confessed, realizing that there just might not be enough time left.

"And what is that? You're not really against what Phil is trying to do and as soon we're married, you will take everything I have?" he joked, but she could see through his mask that he was concerned.

"I'm trying to find a loophole." No more beating around the bush.

"Loophole in what?"

"My father's testament. When my mom married Phil, he knew everything there was to know about my father's testament, how the land was mine, that the house would be in my name the minute I turned eighteen and that my mother couldn't sell it before my eighteenth birthday. Phil understood that he wouldn't be able to get any money, unless he rearranged some of the details, giving him the rights to sell the land if he ever desired to do so. Throwing me in with the land, he's killing two birds with one stone; he gets more money and gets rid of me," Bella explained.

"And this loophole, have you been able to find it?"

"No, not yet, but I hired a lawyer about a year ago and he's doing everything he can, promising me that he will find the loophole, or something that will give me what was given to me, before it's too late."

"I can't sign the contract now, Bella, not when I know this."

"I know, but please Edward, try to negotiate with Phil, do anything that will give Jenks more time," Bella begged him.

"I will," he promised, kissing her softly before leaving.

And not a minute too late. Bella had barely gotten dressed when she saw her mother's and Phil's cars arrive. As Phil always insisted on whenever they traveled, Bella met them at the front door and welcomed them home, asking them politely about Boston, the hotel and the casino.

Neither of them said much but dropped their baggage in the hall and left Bella alone, like they always did. Bella had made sure that all the mail that had arrived while they were gone had been sorted through, Phil's mail in his office and her mother's mail in the bedroom as they requested.

As Bella made breakfast to herself in the kitchen, an unfamiliar car arrived and parked next to Renee's shining red Corvette. Bella expected it to be either Edward or one of Phil's associates, but not the person who stepped out of the car.

Panicked, Bella snuck out of the kitchen, through the living room and out that patio doors just as he rang the doorbell. Running as fast as she could, she hid behind the shed in the garden and listened to her mother's loud voice as she greeted him.

"Jacob! What a pleasant surprise!" Bella heard Renée exclaim and she pictured how her mother would throw her arms out as if in an invitation.

"Good morning, Mrs. Dwyer," Jacob's voice was just the same it had been those years ago and Bella wondered if he still was the same or if he had changed.

"Oh, call me Renée, Jacob. I assume you are here to see Bella?"

"Renée it is then," she could see his smile clearly in her head, "I hoped she would be home."

"She was here just a moment ago, maybe she's out for a run," Bella almost laughed as she listened to her mother; Bella would never go for a run but of course, her mother didn't know that she could barely walk over a straight surface without tripping. "Why don't you come by later, Jacob, and I will make sure that she will be home."

"Thank you, Mrs. Dwyer," Bella listened carefully to the sound of his feet on the gravel, to the sound of his car door opening and closing before the engine was started and she could no longer hear his car.

Entering the house, Bella made it look like she was coming from the stairs so her mother wouldn't ask questions.

"Was someone here?" she asked her mother as she entered the kitchen and continued on her breakfast.

"Yes, Jacob stopped by; he wanted to see you," Renée's eyes were shining with hope as she said Jacobs name and Bella couldn't help but roll her eyes at her mother. "I told him to come back since you had suddenly disappeared. Where were you?"

"I had to use the bathroom," Bella lied swiftly before fleeing her mother's interrogation, bringing her breakfast up to her room where she could eat in silence.

As the day went on, Bella found a copy of her father's testament and a copy of the one Phil had rewritten when he married he mother. There was nothing more Bella wanted than to find the loophole, the true words of her father's testament, and she was going to find it. Every so often, as she scanned the papers and took notes, Bella stopped and listened, both after her sneaky mother and the sound of a car.

She was so consumed in her work that she forgot lunch and forgot to change from her sleeping shorts and long sleeved t-shirt. When there was a knock on her door around four, it scared her so that she almost knocked over a glass of water but she quickly gathered herself and hid the papers in her desk.

"Come in," she called, expecting it to be Greta or her mother, even Phil.

"Hi Bells," Bella spun around and her eyes narrowed immediately.

"What are you doing here?" she asks Jacob, picking up her robe to cover herself.

"You mom let me," he tells her, as if it explains everything.

"I know that, what I meant to say was '_What the hell are you doing in my room?_'."

"I wanted to see my friend."

"Yeah right," Bella laughs, "We haven't been friends for three years, Jacob, haven't spoken a single word to each other in three years, and now I'm suddenly your friend again, as if nothing ever happened between us?"

"Leah broke up with me," he says, ignoring her questions.

"What did you do? Realized that she had feelings for you and then turned your back on her?" Bella asks coldly.

"No, she claims that I wasn't emotionally there during our relationship, which I was."

"There you have it; she broke up with you because you always have the right answers, at least you claim to have them, and if someone corrects you, you lose it. Now, get the hell out of my house!" Bella yelled at him.

"Fine, I will go," he sighed and left without another word.

As the door closed behind him, tears burned Bella's eyes as she tried to hold them back; Jacob had torn open a few scared wound but Bella knew where she could find her medicine. Until then, she just had get a hold of herself, especially when she could hear her mother through the open door, coming up the stairs. Bella listened as Renée said goodbye to Jacob before she continued chatting happily with someone.

Bella had just tied her robe when her mother came into her room and when she looked up, her heart fluttered. She was sure it skipped a beat as she took in the sight of Edward, but she had to hold her smile back.

"Bella, Mr. Cullen here wanted to –"suddenly Renée started to sniff the air and Bella looked at her mother a confused look, "Why does you room smell like sex, Bella?" Renée snapped. "Did Jacob and you have sex?"

"No!"

"If not with Jacob, with whom then?" Renée demanded to know. Bella wanted to say 'Edward', but she managed to hold her tongue before ruining everything. Instead she acted embarrassed, looking down at her fiddling hands as she let out a meek 'yes'. She didn't look up as her mother apologized profoundly to Edward and rushed him out of her room, but as soon she heard the door to her room close, she threw her robe off and found a sweater, a pair of jeans and some shoes, dressing in record time before running after them.

But it was too late; as she came out on the porch, she could see the tail of Edward's car as he drove around the bend and away from her.

"Bella, how could you?" Renée was crying somewhere behind her and it was only in matter of time before Phil would know, but Bella didn't listen; instead she ran out and found her bike. She had no idea where Edward lived but she had a phone with a GPS and hopefully, that would be enough.

Bella had never been a runner as she couldn't walk on any surface without tripping over thin air, but the bike, she could master and she pumped her legs till she reached the neighborhood Edward was living it. And then the sky opened and in matter of minutes, Bella's clothes were soaked, but it didn't stop her and even though rain water was running down her face, water beads sticking to her eye lashes, she kept on going until she reached the end of the street.

It was hard to believe that a single man was living in the house at the end of the street; the garden was immaculate and tulips were blooming in every flowerbed.

But all that didn't matter when she Edward through one of the windows. She didn't know how long she just stood there on the street and watched him move around what seemed to be the kitchen. She didn't know if he had noticed her or not, but as it grew darker, she found the courage to move forward, leaving her bike behind as she walked up his driveway and to his front door and knocked on the door.

She heard him call out something and it didn't take long before the door opened, revealing a heartbreaking beautiful Edward.

"You're wet as a dog," he commented.

"Uhm, I know," Bella murmured, "I need to explain what happened in my room, with Jacob, my mom, everything," she explained to him and she watched his eyes grow hard and colder.

"Okay, why don't you come in and I'll find a towel for you?" he held the door open for her, inviting her in when her phone rang. 'Jenks' flashed across the screen.

"I have to take this first," she murmured, turning her back to him.

"_Bella, I have good news for you,_" she could hear the smile in Jenks voice and Edward closing the door behind her. Sighing, she sat down on the front steps and listened to Jenks.

"_We found the loophole and proof that Phil altered the testament before he married your mother, so this is an easy case, I believe_," Bella listened intently to what he had to say. "_I've already drawn up the papers, sent them to Phil's lawyer and I will come by your house tomorrow where I need you to sign the paper as well as Phil and your mother. And I know that the house isn't of importance to you Bella, but I added it in the contract, giving them either thirty days to move out or buy the house to the price of the added value of the land, house and the inventory. Since we also are sitting on proof that the testament was altered by Phil, we will win if he refuses to sign and we decide to take it to court._"

Bella was thrilled that she now would become free of her mother and Phil, thrilled that everything her father had given her would become hers, five years after she came off age, but what about Edward?

Just the thought of losing him brought tears to her eyes and when the first sob racked through her body, she couldn't hold back and cried uncontrollably. Sobs racked through her body as she cried in the rain. She didn't hear the front door being opened and she felt a hand on her shoulder, she jumped.

"Let's get you out of the rain," Edward murmured, taking her arm and leading her into his home.

Warmth of his home consumed Bella and she shivered, her heart beating fast in her chest as she tried to hold the sobs back.

He led her into the living room and Bella's eyes wandered over the room; it looked as if he had just moved in, boxes against the wall, the TV standing on the floor against the wall and only a few pictures gathered together against the wall in a corner.

"You have to get out of those clothes," Edward stated as he led her over to the couch, handing her a blanket, "Take your clothes off and I'll find something you can wear and a towel." She watched him and she turned the corner and was gone. With cold hands, she stated to unbutton her jeans and pushed the wet fabric down her cold legs.

When Edward came back with a towel, a t-shirt and what seemed to be a pair of boxer briefs, he gave her a quick once over as she reached for the blanket.

"All the clothes, Bella," she quickly took off her bra and panties. When she reached for the blanket, Edward held out the towel and she patted herself dry before putting on the boxers and t-shirt, wrapping the blanket around herself when she was finished.

Edward took her clothes and walked away. She sat down on the couch, wrapping her blanket clad arms around her knees as she listened to Edward's movements. Resting her chin on her knees, she looked at the pale grey walls, the dark wooden floor and the fireplace, which the couch was faced against. On the wall above was a black frame and she came to the conclusion that the TV would most probably be above the fireplace.

"Here," she looked up to see Edward holding two cups of something steaming, one stretched out to her.

"Thank you," she murmured, breathing the sweet scent of the berry tea before sipping slowly to it. The warm beverage warmed her from the inside and she gave Edward a small smile as he sat down next to her. Careful not to spill anything, she changed her position so she was facing him.

"Why are you here, Bella?" he asked, not looking at her.

"I need to talk to you, explain what happened in my room."

"Actually Bella, I don't want to talk about that right now, neither do I want to hear about," Edward huffed and rose from the couch, "You can sleep on the couch; I'll find a pillow and another blanket for you. Tomorrow, I'll drive you home." Bella stared at the cup of tea she held between her hands, holding back the tears she wanted to let go off, let them run down her cheeks and stain Edward's t-shirt.

"Good night," she whispered when he dropped the blanket and the pillow on the couch next to her. She didn't look up at him as she placed the cup on the table in front of her and started to make her bed.

"Good night, Bella," Edward murmured back and she listened to his footsteps as he disappeared.

~O~O~O

"Hello?" Bella mumbled groggily into the phone. She had no idea who was calling or what time it was, but she knew that she hadn't slept very well on Edward's couch when she finally fell asleep.

"_Bella, its Jenks_."

"Oh, uhm, hi," she mumbled, sitting up and stretching an arm over her head.

"_I hear that I woke up,_" Jenks laughed at the other end, "_But I just wanted to tell you that I am on my way and will be at your home in approximately thirty minutes._"

"Uhm, Jenks, I didn't spend the night at home, but would it be any problem if you came by and picked me up?" it wouldn't be a problem for Jenks and Bella gave him the address to Edward's house before hanging up.

Sighing to herself, she got up from her makeshift bed and started her own little search for Edward's bathroom. There were four doors down the hall, all of them closed, and Bella wondered how she was going to figure which one was the bathroom without disturbing Edward. After standing there, just looking at the doors, Bella decided that she could just hold herself till she was home again and instead decided to write a note for Edward.

_Edward,_

_I'm sorry for what happened yesterday but I can explain, if you will let me, please. Jenks found the loophole we needed and even proof that will break Phil if he refuses to sign the contract and it ends in court. _

_Everything is mine, the land, the house; everything that was in my father's name is now mine so you no longer need to sign a contract with Phil. If you want the land, I am more than willing to sell it to you for a fair price that will suit the both of us._

_I think I will be staying for Greta and Eric for a while, if they'll have me, just until I know what I want to do with my life since I now actually can without having my mother of Phil dictating me all the time._

_Please let me explain._

She wrote down her number, email address and the address to Greta and Eric's house. She wanted to sign the note with '_Love_' but decided against and just scribbled her name at the bottom, folding the note and placing it in the middle of his spotless kitchen table.

Jenks was earlier than he had anticipated but Bella wasn't complaining; she wanted to put an end to all the madness her mother and Phil had put her through; she wanted revenge. But most of all, she wanted to straight everything out with Edward. She wanted him to trust her just like she wanted to trust him and she knew that it was only possible if they got to know each other; they were already on the way.

The rain the night before had turned into snow during the night, covering the ground with a sloppy blanket of mush. As she walked down the stairs in her still wet shoes, Bella clung to the railing, fearing that if she was to let go, she would fall.

As she climbed into Jenks car, he took in the state she was in.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend," he said as he pulled away from Edward's house.

"I don't."

"My, I didn't see you as a girl to have simple flings, Bella," Jenks sounded sincerely shocked.

"I don't; something happened at the house and he left before I had the chance to explain anything, so I followed him. Since it was pouring down, I slept on the couch," Bella explained.

"And I guess you were outside when it started to rain, hence your attire."

"Correct."

"Bella," Jenks reached over and took Bella's hand in his as he slowly drove down the driveway to her house, "I can see the light in the end of the tunnel; you will get everything your father gave you before he passed away and you are free to do as you please as you are, after all, an adult."

"I guess," she mumbled and Jenks squeezed her hand.

"The problem you have with the boy will be sorted out," he promised as they reached the house.

It was so early in the morning that Bella wondered if Renée and Phil even were up. Eric and Greta's car was parked in the usual spot so at least someone was awake.

Bella didn't bother with knocking but walked straight in, showed Jenks where Phil's office was, asked Greta if she could let Phil know that someone was waiting in his office and promised her to tell where she had been all night before she ran up to her room and got dressed before anyone else would see her attire.

Before she went back down, she started to pack some of her things into a bag, only the most important things, like all the dreamcatchers her father had given her through the years, every little gift he had given her, pictures, her old diary and some important books. In another bag she threw some of her clothes in, especially the flannel shirts she had taken from Charlie's closet before her mother had thrown everything out, leaving more room for her own things.

As she walked down the stairs, she could hear Phil's raised voice, angry. She could also make out her mother's voice and she had to laugh when she heard that Renée was insisting that it all was just a simple mistake, that Bella loved living with them, that she loved her step-father and that she would never take everything they had.

"Mom, I hate the life you created for me when dad died," Bella said as she joined them. Three pair of eyes was on her. "You've been trying to sell me off with a piece of land, to get money, as if I'm nothing more than a mere object for you to do as you please. For ten years, I've been homeschooled because you didn't trust me with other student, afraid that I might tell anyone that my mom and step-father was showing me off like a priced animal."

"Oh, Bella," Renée stepped forward, her arms opened as to console her daughter, but Bella cut her off.

"I have no idea what I want to do with my life, what I want to achieve because it was out of the question to even think about college as soon my High School diploma arrived in the mail," Bella was almost shouting and she didn't notice that she was walking closer to her mother before she felt Jenks hand on her shoulder, pulling her back.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dwyer, I think it would be wise of you to just sign the papers and all this will be over and done with. I've already faxed the papers to your lawyer, Mr. Dwyer, and he agreed that it wouldn't be wise and refuse; we have everything we need to crush you in court," Jenks informed them calmly.

"B-but," Renée stuttered and Phil silenced her with a hand.

"By giving her everything she wants, she will take everything we have," he said, sending Bella a cold glare, which she returned.

"Everything you have is already hers by law, it was given to her by her father to have when she turned eighteen, but you have kept it away from her for three year; it's hers now and you can't do anything about it, Mr. Dwyer."

"But where will we live?" Renée asked in a small voice.

"That's already taken care off; Bella is willing to the sell you the house, and everything she doesn't want within it, for 2.5 million. Before you complain about the price, I'll let you know that the house alone is worth 1.5 and by adding all the inventory and the land the house is built upon, it's worth 4.2 million."

"Why doesn't she sell it take the money for herself?" Phil directed the question to Jenks, as if Bella wasn't in the room, but it was Bella who spoke.

"Just because I want you out of my life and doesn't want to deal with you ever again, doesn't mean that I want to take away the roof above your head."

Phil signed the papers at last, so did Renée and Bella informed them that she would come back during the week to get everything she wanted from the house. For now, they could have it to themselves but they weren't allowed to remove anything until the house was legally theirs.

"Bella," Bella turned just to be wrapped in two pair of arms and hugged tightly," You will stay with us, we insist, for as long as you need."

"Thank," Bella whispered into Eric and Greta's hug.

"You can take Angela's old room; it's the one with the best view over the fields," Greta said when they released her.

"And I've talked with Jenks; he will drive you home before he heads back to his office. Now, no more dilly-dalling; you need to get ready to," Eric gave her on last hug before he left her alone with Greta, who helped her back the rest of the clothes that was on the bed.

They did it in silence and when they were finished, Greta helped her carrying the bags and a box down to the car where she hugged once again.

"I will make you favorite for dinner," Greta promised before she went back into the house.

Bella took one last look at the house before she got into the car and she drove away with Jenks.

"You're a millionaire now, Bella, why don't smile a little," Bella smiled at Jenks light tone.

"You're right; no more sulking. But I am gonna miss that house, after all, I grew up there and even though that last fourteen years isn't much to brag about, you can still find the marks on the wall where dad used to measure my height."

"It's been your home all your life and it would be unnatural if you didn't feel sad, but then, you have to start living your life and start on new happy memories with people that love you for who you are, not the money in your pocket."

"Speaking of money, when all of it is transferred to my account, I'll be sitting with closer to 5.5 million in the bank and land worth 2 million," Bella informed Jenks as he turned on to the street where Eric and Greta lived.

"Yeah, I know Bella; I did the math you see, before I picked you up this morning."

"I know, anyway, I want to donate the land to Esme Cullen and 'A helpful hand' along with 3.5 million," Bella noticed how Jenks slowed down and almost stopped so he could stare at her.

"You want to give away almost everything you have?"

"I don't need so much money and the land it's just too big for me to build a house on. I know that 'A helpful hand' needs it more than me. Besides, I will have closer to 2 million, even after paying you for all the hours you've pulled on this."

"Listen here young lady, you're not going to pay me for anything; I did this because I wanted to help the daughter of a dear friend of mine."

"But I've been working on this for months now," Bella pointed out.

"Yes, but never during working hours so I can't take your money."

Bella huffed and decided against arguing with a lawyer.

"Let me help you in with your things," he said when they reached the house and Bella got out or the car. At the front door of Eric and Greta's house, Jenks gave Bella a quick hug and made her promise not to be a stranger.

Eric and Greta's home was warm, welcoming and comforting; no one would ever feel unwelcome and at home in their house. It had soul and memories or five children playing, running through the house. The stairs up to the second floor creaked several places as Bella walked them. On the walls hung pictures of the whole family and all the grandchildren and Bella was surprised when she saw pictures of herself hanging among them.

As she reached Angela's old room, Bella dropped her bags on the floor, took of her shoes and curled up the bed, facing the window in the opposite wall.

There was only one thing on her mind and as she closed her eyes, the image became so clear that she almost reached out to feel.

_Edward…_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven**

April went by.

Then May came and the sun started to warm everyone, almost everyone.

Bella stayed inside almost every waking minute of the day, only coming out from her room to help Greta with dinner, clean the house when they were at work or help Eric in the garden during the weekend.

The money had been transferred and she no longer had any legal connection with the house she had grown up in. She was a millionaire even though half of the money had been donated before they even reached her account, she was one.

She knew that she couldn't stay with Eric and Greta forever and that she needed to find a place for her own, a place to call home again, but she was afraid if she moved forward too fast, some of the things she dreamed of wouldn't come true.

One of those things was Edward.

She wanted nothing more than to hear Edward's voice, to see him smile and to feel him, but he hadn't called since that day in April. She longed for him so much that it hurt. She could barely sleep and when she did, she had weird dreams she reckoned to be nightmares, but she wasn't sure. On top of it all, it seemed that she no longer was hungry, it was like her body couldn't fully function when she didn't know if she would ever see Edward again, and it scared her, and it scared Greta, who had started to take some time off from work to make sure that Bella ate something during the day, not only during dinner.

"Bella," Bella looked up from where she had been lying on the floor in front of the big window in Angela's room, staring at the fields on the other side of the glass. It was Eric.

"Yeah?" her voice was hoarse and itching; she was starting to get sick.

"I brought your mail with me home today; it's starting to pile up so I think you should go through it all and see if there are any bills you've might missed," kneeled down next to her, placing a cold hand on her forehead to check her temperature before he put the mail own in front of her and found a thick blanket to put over her. "I'll check if we have some soup for you; it will help." Bella nodded slightly before going back to staring out the window, snuggling into the pillow.

She must have fallen asleep because when she opened her eyes, a bowl of half warm soup, a plate of biscuits and a bottle of water stood in front of her and the sky had turned black. Sitting up, she scooted over to the window frame and leaned against it, the blanket wrapped tightly around her as she took the bowl of soup and slurped it in. When the bowl was empty, she nibbled to a biscuit as she started on the small pile of mail Eric had brought her.

Four of the letters was from the bank, confirming that the money had first been transferred to her account, then over the 'A helpful hand'. There was a letter from Jenks, one where he was wishing her all the best of luck in her life. The last two letters was just confirmation from the bank about automatically withdrawal on her bills.

She threw the mail into her bag.

As she reached for the bottle of water, she noticed a small envelop in cream. Turning it, she saw her name written in a beautiful curly script and she wondered who it was from; there was no stamp on it so someone had delivered it personally or dropped it off in the mailbox.

Curious, Bella ripped it open and pulled out a small card in the same cream paper and with the same curly script.

_Isabella Marie Swan,_

_To celebrate thirty-five years of happiness together, we, Carlisle and Esme Cullen, would be delighted if you accepted our invitation to celebrate with us._

_A small party with close friends and family will find place on Saturday, 18__th__ of May at five pm in our home in Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa. _

_Please RSVP latest 1__st__ of May._

_Black tie._

_Carlisle and Esme Cullen._

Bella sighed. She would have loved to meet Carlisle and Esme again but as the invitation said, RSVP was latest 1st of May. She couldn't call and tell them that she hadn't received the invitation until a few hours ago and there wished to RSVP if it wasn't too late. Could she?

Before she even had time to reason with herself, she had her phone against her ear and was calling the number from the card.

"_Hello, Cullen residence._" The sound of his voice froze her. "_Hello?_" he asked when she didn't say anything. "_If this is some prank, I have your number,_" he threatened and it hurt a little that he didn't remember her number.

"I need to talk to either Carlisle or Esme Cullen," she managed to say, her voice breaking as her throat went dry. She had no idea if he could hear that it was her or not, but it didn't take long before she heard him call for Esme.

"_Hello,_" Esme's voice was soft and warm.

"Hi, it's Bella Swan."

"_Ah, Bella, what a pleasure! What can I help you with, dear?_"

"I wondered if it's too late to RSVP to your celebration of your anniversary," Bella asked, taking a quick sip of her water before she continued. "I no longer live with my mother and her husband, so I didn't get the invitation until today and I know that it's terribly late and even incontinent, but if it is possible, I would love to come."

"_Oh dear, of course; we would be delighted if you could come,_" Esme sounded sincere and it warmed Bella's heart.

"Thank you," Bella sighed, "It would be really nice to see you again."

"_We are looking forward to see you again as well, Bella. Now, don't be a stranger._" Bella promised Esme that she wouldn't be a stranger anymore and they said their goodbyes.

That night, Bella took a valium and slept in the bed, not on the floor. She had gotten the push she needed to get out of her self-induced coma she had been in since she moved away from Renée and Phil.

The next morning, she woke up to the sound of Eric and Greta leaving for work and she waiting till she heard their car drive away before she got up and took a shower. Afterwards, she dressed in simple dark jeans, Edward's white t-shirt and one of many flannel shirts she had after Charlie.

She was going to spend some of her money.

She hated the thought of shopping but she had never owned a dress. Before, she had always worn one of her mother's many expensive dresses so she hadn't been in need of one. It was no better time than the presence to start her new life. First on the list was a dress for the anniversary party, and then, being once again social.

"Can't let him run my life even though he isn't in it," Bella murmured to herself as she found her purse, a book, a bottle of water before she headed for the nearest bus station.

Next on the list would have to be a car.

~O~O~O

The three days since Wednesday passed much faster than Bella had anticipated and as she woke up Saturday morning, her stomach flipped and she found herself nervous, wondering if it would be a good idea to go. She had no idea if Edward knew if she was coming; she didn't want to suddenly show up from the blue, but then again, there were no other way for her to show up, was it?

"Bella, the cab is here," Eric called up the stairs and Bella quickly grabbed her shoes and ran down stairs.

"You can't wear sneaker!" Greta shrieked when she saw Bella and it made her laugh.

"I'm not," Bella assured her, showing the shoes she was holding in her hand before giving the both of them a hug.

"Did you remember your key?" Greta called as Bella walked to the cab.

"Yes," she called over her shoulder, giving them a smile.

"And did you remember your phone so you can call us if something happens?" Eric called.

"Yes; I have my phone, my keys, a jacket and even a scarf and I have money for the cab both ways," she yelled, waving at them as she got into the car.

"First you're going out?" the driver asked her as she fastened the seatbelt.

"No, it's not the first time," Bella said, giving the driver a quick smile as she fished a compact out of her clutch, checking if she remember to apply mascara.

"Could have fooled me," the driver laughed, "The only times I see parents like that is when their little girl is going out for the first time where they aren't driving her."

"They're not my parent."

"Oh."

"I love them I like I would love my parents, but I'm only living with them until I can find a place for my own," Bella explained.

"That's kind of them."

"It is, isn't it?" Bella murmured, looking out the window with a smile.

"I'm Liam by the way," the driver told her as he steered them onto the main street.

"I'm Bella."

"Nice to meet you, Bella," Liam gave her a smile through the mirror, but kept his eyes on the road like the good driver he was. "So, where am I brining you this lovely afternoon?"

"To a party of sorts; someone I know is celebrating their anniversary."

"Sounds nice. How long have they been married?"

"Thirty-five years this summer," Bella said, passing on the information Edward had given her during the hike in April.

Bella chatted easily with Liam, the taxi driver, all the way to Carlisle and Esme's home and he helped her taking her mind off Edward. She didn't think of him until she watched Liam drive away and a familiar car came up the driveway. Nervous, Bella decided against lingering outside and followed the sound of music and people chatting happily.

The house was beautifully decorated with white roses and candles everywhere; they guided the guests to the back of the house where a tent had been set up. As Bella walked through the glass doors and into the tent, she took in the beauty of the simple decoration.

The far end of the tent, the wall behind a scene, the wall was open, letting the spring sun into the tent, the light playing off the glasses and making patterns on the white tent walls.

She loved how it shown that everything had been thought off, like the placing of the tables and most importantly, that there was no grass in sight inside the tent because a fake floor had been laid upon it. And it wasn't a ugly dark wooden floor that was worn, but beautiful honey colored wood that still shone in the sun.

"Bella!" at the sound of her name being called out, Bella turned to see Alice Brandon coming towards her with Jasper Whitlock, Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale.

It surprises Bella to find out that even though she barely talked with them during the hike, she had actually missed them the past month, the feeling of being welcome that they all radiated.

"Hi," she greeted them timidly, giving them a small wave.

"It's so nice that you could make it," Rosalie said, giving her a hug, her growing stomach pressing against Bella's.

"I would have missed it for what world," Bella told them honestly after receiving a hug from Alice as well. It was the truth; she wouldn't miss it for anything if it meant that she would be able to see them, especially Edward.

"Edward!" Alice suddenly called and Bella watched as they all turned their heads toward him. She herself didn't dare to turn, but she could feel his eyes on her and the heat of his body when he was close enough, "You can't let your date wander alone," Alice chided and Bella's eyes grew wide and she was about to protest when his silky soft voice filled the air.

"Sorry Alice; I had to park the car," the hair on her arms stood up and his cent invaded her nose, but she didn't dare to look at him. "Emmett, is everything taken care off?" Edward asked his brother.

"Yeah, Eddie; they will close the wall around six and-" Edward's and Emmett's conversation was drowned out by Alice's gushing over how beautiful she thought Bella was, making Bella blush, which made Rosalie laugh and Jasper chuckle.

"Thank you," Bella murmured, biting her lip.

"Where did you get the dress?" Alice asked, reaching out to feel the fabric.

"I found it in a small vintage store," Bella told her and Alice demanded to know what the name of the store was, where it was located and what kind of treasures there were to find there.

As she told Alice all the information she had on the store, she could feel Edward's eyes on her, making her body tingle, and she hoped he liked her dress. It was a short white dress by someone called Cynthia Steffe, someone Bella had never heard about before. It was a simple, yet elegant dress that stopped just an inch above her knees. It was a two layer cotton dress where the top layer was full of flowers and at the waist it flowed out slightly, showing of her hour-glass figure.

To feel a little more adult, mature, and make the dress fell a little less sugarcoated-cute, Bella had gotten her hands on a pair of black pumps with red heels. To complement the dress and the shoes, Bella had borrowed a black clutch from Angela, found her black trench coat at the bottom of one of the boxes she had brought with her to Eric and Greta and, and her make-up was simple and neutral, only a hint of red on her lips. Her long and curly hair was flowing freely down her back.

"It's time to take our seats," Jasper interrupted Alice's rambling about how she loved vintage shopping but that she was sometimes too small to find anything that actually fitted her perfectly and therefore had started to sew her own clothes.

"You are sitting with us," Edward told her when Bella didn't follow them, placing his hand on her arm and leading her over to where Emmett was helping Rosalie into her seat.

To feel his touch again sent a shiver up Bella's spine and her bare skin was covered in goosebumps.

Bella had barely touched her chair when their attention was drawn to the stage where Carlisle and Esme was standing, holding hands.

"We want to thank you all in advance for wanting to celebrate our anniversary with us," Carlisle said, "And we hope you all will have a wonderful evening." Everyone clapped as they walked down from the stage and joined their family and Bella at their table.

Then dinner was served.

They started with shrimp and scampi cocktail. For Rose though, there was a simple crispy duck appetizer as shrimp made her stomach turned.

The appetizer was followed by, for those who wanted it, beef tenderloin, or roasted king salmon and for those who didn't like beef or salmon, there was pistachio crusted chicken. Everything looked rather tempting to Bella, but a small sniff of the chicken made her choose it and she didn't regret it when she took the first bit; her mouth was filled the delicious tastes of the roasted pistachio, the caramelized onions and the roasted red potatoes.

"Let's dance," Alice chippered the plates had been removed from the table. Jasper groaned as Alice dragged him out on the dance floor but he smiled and held Alice lovingly in his arms.

"Come on Rose, you can't sit here all night pouting," Emmett laughed, pulling Rosalie easily to her feet, much to her distaste, and brought her to the dance floor where he held her against him and swayed them both to the sound of the music.

Bella looked at Carlisle and Esme with a smile as they watched everyone on the floor, dancing and enjoying themselves. They looked truly happy and it made Bella realize that she had never seen Phil and Renée share moments like that, she had never seen her mother look at her father like that and it made her remember that her mother didn't cry, didn't even morn when her father died. It made Bella feel angry, and glad that she didn't have to deal with her mother ever again: she was free, to do whatever she wanted to do with her life.

"Want to dance?" she turned to Edward, who seemed to be waiting impatiently as if he had tried to get contact with her.

"Sure," she gave him the best smile she had, not quite sure how to act around him even though he was one of the main reasons she wanted to be a part of the celebration of Carlisle and Esme.

Tingles shot through her hand as Edward took hold of it and led her to the dance floor. It felt right for her when he wrapped his arm around her waist and she placed her left arm on his shoulder and her right hand in his left.

"I'm not much of a dancer," she confessed as they started to move.

"A good thing that I am," he gave her a crocked smile, taking the lead of the dance.

"Cocky much?" Bella had to ask, smiling.

"Not really," he said, looking thoughtfully into space, "Guess that side comes out whenever someone really hurts me."

"Edward," Bella started but he cut her off.

"Let's just dance for now."

"Okay," she whispered, resting her head on his chest as the music changed and Eva Cassidy's voice filled the air with 'Fields of Gold'. "I like this song," she whispered."

"Me too; Esme plays it at least once every day, singing along with it."

"We need to talk, Edward."

"I know, but right now we need to dance to this wonderful song in silence," Edward murmured, resting his chin on the top of her head.

When the song ended, another one started, another Eva Cassidy song, 'Songbird'. They didn't stop dancing. They danced through three songs until Bella couldn't take it anymore, the silence, the closeness, the feeling and smell of him.

"I need to use the bathroom," she murmured, stepping away from him but he wasn't having any of that and took her hand.

"I'll show you," he said as he led her into the house and up two flights of stairs. He didn't slow down until they were in front of a door at the end of a hall.

He didn't say anything else as he opened the door and led her inside the room. She barely had time to see the room before her back was the door and Edward's lips were against hers, kissing her greedily.

"I've missed," he said as he pulled away to breath. Bella barely caught her breath before they were kissing again and his hands started to roam over her body and she loved the feeling of his skin against hers, the burning feeling he left on her skin as his hands shimmered over her thighs.

"We can't do this," she manage to get out before her eyes rolled back in her head as he kissed her neck, nibbling in the skin over her collarbone.

"We can."

"No, I mean it Edward; we can't do this, not until we've talked," she said forcefully, pushing him away; he looked at her with lustful eyes. "I need to explain what happened that day in my room, Edward; I have to know that you believe me before anything can happen between us."

He didn't say anything but sat down on a bed. It was then Bella noticed that they were in a bedroom and the smell of it told her that she was in Edward's room and suddenly the bed seemed very inviting to her.

"I'm listening."

"Okay," suddenly she had no idea how to approach it, tears prickling her eyes, "That morning, after you left, Jacob came by. I didn't talk to him but my mom did and she said he could come back later, which he did. I know this is going to sound like a really bad excuse of an explanation, but I used most of the day trying to find that loophole I needed and I didn't change, so I was in my pajama when Jacob came. I had just told him to get the hell out of my house when you and mom came in. I didn't know that the room smelled so strongly of sex and I knew that if I said it was you I had had sex with , not only would Phil make my life a hell, he would make your life a hell as well. I said it was Jacob because I thought it would be wiser to do so."

She looked at him with hope in her eyes, waiting for him to say anything. When he didn't open his mouth or look at her, she walked closer to him, stepping in between his legs, and tilted his head up so she could look into his eyes.

"Why in the world would I want to be with the jackass who hurt me when I can have you, the most carrying man I've known since my father?" she asked, caressing his cheek.

Again, he didn't say anything.

"I'm probably right when I say that you're thinking about the age difference, and so what if he's my age? I would rather have someone at age of Phil if I knew that I could be happy with that person."

Not one word.

"Okay, if you're going to just sit there and let me talk until I say something really stupid, I'm not going to even bother to try and join your family down stairs," she huffed and walked away from him.

She got down to the second floor when she heard the door slam on the third, and she ignored it. If he was going to ignore her explanation and apology, then she was going to ignore him.

The music grew louder and she could hear people chatting happily as she reached the first floor. She wondered if Edward was coming down as well or if he was being grumpy back in his room, but she was going to enjoy herself, dance a little with Emmett, have dessert, talk with Alice and burn Rosalie with questions about the baby and pregnancy.

As dessert was placed on the table, mini cream puffs with peach compote, Edward had still not shown up and Bella was starting to get worried. Her eyes were darting between the house and Edward's cream puff; Emmett was slowly inching closer to it and if Edward didn't show, there would be an empty plate in his spot.

"Where's Edward?" Esme asked Bella, making her focus on something else than the door and the cream puff. As he focused on Esme, she noticed that Carlisle was getting up on the stage, picking up a microphone.

"I don't know, maybe he's still in his room," Esme smiled and Emmett and Jasper snickered as Esme joined Carlisle on stage.

"Everyone, if we could get your attention, we would like if you all gathered closer to the stage." When everyone was gathered in front of the stage, as Carlisle had asked them to do, he, Carlisle, handed the microphone over to Esme who took it with a smile.

"We are so happy that you all wanted to celebrate this night with us, especially since it's still two months until we've been married for thirty-five years. We had to move our anniversary to tonight as Carlisle and Edward will be leaving for Argentina in only two weeks," the information hit Bella as a pile of bricks; hard and ruthless.

Not wanting to be disrespectful, Bella held the tears back and listened to Esme.

"Now, there's one person here that we both want to thank for its generosity; Bella Swan, you are an angel sent from heaven!" Bella was stunned and watched Carlisle and Esme on the stage with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Thanks to this wonderful girl, we are now able to make 'A Helpful Hand' into what it was meant to be. This girl," Esme gestured to Bella, who took a step backwards in an futile attempt to blend in with the crowd but Alice gave her a push forward, "She has the kindest heart I've ever seen in my life because she's donated a large amount of money and the land we need to start building the community we want to create. An applause for Bella Swan everyone," Everyone clapped and Bella felt her cheeks heat up as all eyes were on her.

When the clapping died down, she saw the opportunity to say a quick goodbye to Carlisle and Esme before calling a taxi and go home.

"Thank you, Bella," Esme murmured as she hugged her tightly, "We have to move to Washington now, but I've made my dream come true and for that I am forever grateful."

"I don't understand how you found out; I made an anonymous donation."

"Rosalie has been working for J. Jenks for a few years now and she managed to find the information I needed. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you by thanking you in front of everyone, but I just wanted everyone to know how amazingly kind you are and I'm so proud of you."

"It's okay, Esme; you just took me a little by surprise," Bella confessed and Esme brought her into a quick hug before escorting her parents to their car.

"So, I heard you donated almost everything you have to 'A Helpful Hand'," Bella spun around to see Edward lean casually against the door frame of the patio doors.

"I heard you are going to Argentina," she snapped back and walked angrily part him.

"I am; Carlisle asked me if I wanted to join him for two months when he was asked by the board if he wanted to lead the organization they have down there," he told her as he followed her to the hall but as she reached for the door handle, Edward took hold of her elbow and pulled her against him.

"You could have told me when, I don't know, moved out of the house and into Eric and Greta's place, when you called to see how I was doing and telling me that you wanted to hear the explanation," Bella was almost yelling at him.

"I couldn't call you because I couldn't make myself pick up the phone," Edward explained

"Why couldn't you make yourself pick up the phone?" she snapped angrily, her voice high.

"Because I love you, for fucks sake, and I couldn't call you incase what I would hear would break my heart!" he yelled and a crowd had gathered around them to see what was going on.

"Come again?" she whispered, looking at him with wide eyes.

"I love you, Bella Swan, and I don't think I can ever stop loving you," he told her sincerely with pained eyes.

"I-I love you too."


End file.
